THOMASVILLE – A Thomas County Central baseball standout is carrying his talents to the collegiate level.

Brayden Payne has announced his commitment to play baseball at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia. It was a proud moment for Payne and coach Sy Jones, who just completed his first year as Central’s skipper.

“We’re super proud of Brayden. The disappointment I had is that he didn’t let me announce me, post it, have a big signing ceremony and all that. But that’s just who Brayden is, super humble kid,” Jones said. “That doesn’t make us any less proud of him. We’re excited about having a player at the next level. ABAC’s been a school where a lot of our players have had a good experience at. It’s a four-year school now. I think Brayden will be a really good player for them right away.”

Payne will join an ABAC program that just finished its season at 38-16, losing in the finale of the NAIA National Baseball Tournament Opening Round. Payne’s leadership and versatility will make him a valuable member of the Stallions team, quickly.

“They’re getting a leader. Brayden was our captain, a four-year starter. I was fortunate to get him one year but would have loved to coach him a lot longer. He’s a guy that’s always going to hustle, have the dirtiest uniform. He’s a very skilled baseball player; could have easily played football or basketball, anything that he wanted to do. His heart and love were for baseball,” Jones said.

“I could see him projected as an outfielder in that league, third baseman or shortstop that he played for us. The bat is going to play. He’s a good hitter with speed and just an excellent baserunner. I think he stole 70 bases in his career, maybe even more than that.”